Methods and test sets for testing multi-line telecommunications service

ABSTRACT

Methods and test sets allow multi-line telecommunications services to be tested. The methods and test sets utilize multiple connections so that test connections to multiple lines can be made at once. Multiple test clips may be used where two clips are attached to two conductors of the test set for each line to be tested. A modular plug such as an RJ- 11  plug may be used to plug into a modular jack that provides multiple lines of telecommunication service, and the modular plug has a pair of conductors connected to a pair of conductors of a test set for each line to be tested. Additionally, various combinations of clips and modular plugs may be provided to establish test connections to the multiple telecommunication lines to be tested.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to testing of telecommunications service.More particularly, the present invention relates to testing of multiplelines of telecommunications service with a single test set.

BACKGROUND

Landline telecommunications services are provided at least partiallythrough electrical conductors that establish circuits betweentelecommunications provider equipment and the devices of the end usersuch as a telephone or computer. During installation or subsequenttroubleshooting of the telecommunications lines, the service to beprovided through the lines may be tested using a test set. The test setallows a technician to test many variables of the telecommunicationservice such as the polarity of the voltage over the electricalconductors, the amount of noise present on the lines, and other factorsrelated to the quality and reliability of the telecommunicationsservice.

The test set analyzes telecommunications service through a physicalconnection that establishes electrical continuity between the test setand the two conductors of a line of telecommunications service. Thisphysical connection is typically a pair of conductive clips that graspthe electrical conductor pairs. Tests may also be performed through themodular jacks generally located on a wall by coupling the test clips toa banjo, which then plugs into the modular jack to establish continuitybetween the modular jack and the test clips of the test set.

Some customers require telecommunication services that provide multipletelecommunications lines. For example, a single household may choose tohave one telephone line for ordinary voice telephone calls while havinganother telephone line reserved for facsimiles. Each of these multiplelines of the telecommunications service are tested to verify properconnections, quality, and reliability. Conventionally, this requiresthat a technician connect the test set to the first line and then testit accordingly. Then, the technician disconnects the test set from thefirst line and reconnects the test set to the second line to test itaccordingly. Alternatively, the technician must utilize multiple testsets where each test set is used to test one of the multipletelecommunication lines. Thus, it is inconvenient for the technician totest multiple telecommunication lines.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention address these and other issues byproviding methods and test sets for testing multiple communicationslines. The methods and test sets allow the multiple communication linesto be tested using one test set but without requiring the technician toconnect and then disconnect the test from a line before testing another.Thus, the technician can make the necessary connections for the multiplelines to be tested, run the appropriate tests using the single test set,and then complete the task by disconnecting the test set from themultiple lines.

One embodiment provides a device for testing telecommunication circuitsthat includes a test set having circuitry for testing first and secondtelecommunications circuits. The circuitry includes a first testerelectrically connected to first and second conductors extending from thetest set, and the circuitry further includes a second testerelectrically connected to third and fourth conductors extending from thetest set. A first test clip is electrically connected to the firstconductor of the test set, and a second test clip is electricallyconnected to the second conductor of the test set. Likewise, a thirdtest clip is electrically connected to the third conductor of the testset, and a fourth test clip is electrically connected to the fourthconductor of the test set.

One embodiment provides a device for testing telecommunications circuitsthat includes a test set having circuitry for testing first and secondtelecommunications circuits. The circuitry includes a first testerelectrically connected to first and second conductors extending from thetest set, and the circuitry further includes a second testerelectrically connected to third and fourth conductors extending from thetest set. A modular plug includes a first, a second, a third, and afourth conductor. The first conductor of the modular plug iselectrically connected to the first conductor of the test set, thesecond conductor of the modular plug is electrically connected to thesecond conductor of the test set, the third conductor of the modularplug is electrically connected to the third conductor of the test set,and the fourth conductor of the modular plug is electrically connectedto the fourth conductor of the test set.

One embodiment of a method of testing a two line telecommunicationservice with a test set capable of testing multiple communication linesinvolves attaching a first clip to a first conductor of the two linetelecommunication service and attaching a second clip to a secondconductor of the two line telecommunication service. A third clip isattached to a third conductor of the two line telecommunication service,and a fourth clip is attached to a fourth conductor of the two linetelecommunication service. The method also involves operating circuitryof the test set to test a first line of the two line telecommunicationservice through the first clip and second clip. The method furtherinvolves operating circuitry of the test set to test a second line ofthe two line telecommunication service through the third clip and fourthclip.

One embodiment of a method of testing a two line telecommunicationservice with a test set capable of testing multiple communication linesinvolves attaching a modular plug to a modular jack providing the twoline telecommunication service. The modular plug is attached to themodular jack such that a first conductor and second conductor of themodular plug are electrically connected to a first conductor and secondconductor of the modular jack that provide a first line of the two linetelecommunication service. The modular plug is also attached to themodular jack such that a third conductor and a fourth conductor of themodular plug are electrically connected to a third conductor and afourth conductor of the modular jack that provide a second line of thetwo line telecommunication service. The method further involvesoperating circuitry of the test set to test the first line of the twoline telecommunication service through the first conductor and secondconductor of the modular plug. Additionally, the method involvesoperating circuitry of the test set to test the second line of the twoline telecommunication service through the third conductor and fourthconductor of the modular plug.

One embodiment of a method of testing a two line telecommunicationservice with a test set capable of testing multiple communication linesinvolves attaching a modular plug to a modular jack providing the twoline telecommunication service. The modular plug is attached to themodular jack such that a first conductor and second conductor of themodular plug are electrically connected to a first conductor and secondconductor of the modular jack that provide a first line of the two linetelecommunication service. A first clip is attached to a thirdconductor, and a second clip is attached to a fourth conductor whereinthe third conductor and fourth conductor provide a second line of thetwo line telecommunication service. The method also involves operatingcircuitry of the test set to test the first line of the two linetelecommunication service through the first conductor and secondconductor of the modular plug. The method further involves operatingcircuitry of the test set to test the second line of the two linetelecommunication service through the first clip and second clip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an external view of a multi-line test set according to oneembodiment of the present invention where multiple line connectionoptions are possible.

FIG. 2 shows the major functional components of the multi-line test setof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a single test set with theability to test multiple telecommunication lines contemporaneously. Theembodiments permit the multiple telecommunication lines to be testedwithout requiring the technician to connect to and test one line andthen disconnect from the one line prior to testing the next line.Various line connection configurations for the test set may be utilizedin conjunction with embodiments of the present invention to provide theability to test multiple communications lines.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a test set 100 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention. The test set 100 has an external connection tothe telecommunications lines to be tested through a cable 102. The cable102 contains four or more isolated conductors depending upon the numberof telecommunications lines to be tested at any time. Two isolatedconductors are provided per telecommunication line to be tested. Thecable 102 extends to a set of connectors having one of several potentialconfigurations. Although FIG. 1 and the related discussion cover asingle cable 102, it will be appreciated that a different number ofcables may be used, such as a cable for each individual conductor or acable for each conductor pair used to test a telecommunication line.

As an example of a potential configuration for the connectors of thetest set 100, the cable 102 may terminate with each of the isolatedconductors terminating at a different test clip that may be used toclamp onto one of the conductors of each pair forming thetelecommunication lines. As shown, the test set 100 is configured totest two telecommunications lines, and cable 102 in one alternativeterminates at a first clip 104 for a first conductor and clip 106 for asecond conductor for testing a first communication line. The cable 102also terminates at a third clip 108 for a third conductor and at afourth clip 110 for a fourth conductor for testing a secondcommunication line.

As an alternative, the cable 102 of the example of FIG. 1 may terminateat a modular plug 112, such as a standard RJ-11 plug where the firstconductor and second conductor of cable 102 are connected to two of theconductor pins of the RJ-11 plug. The RJ-11 plug 112 allows testing of afirst telecommunication line by plugging into an RJ-11 jack that thefirst telecommunication line is provided through. The cable 102 alsoterminates at a first clip 114 for the third conductor of cable 102 andat a second clip 116 for the fourth conductor of cable 102. The firstclip 114 and second clip 116 allow the second telecommunication line tobe tested by clamping onto the conductor pair of the secondtelecommunication line.

As another alternative, the cable 102 of the example of FIG. 1 mayterminate at a modular plug 118, such as a standard RJ-11 plug. However,in this alternative, all four conductors of the RJ-11 plug 118 are usedso that both telecommunication lines provided through an RJ-11 jack maybe tested by plugging in the RJ-11 plug. The first and second conductorsof the cable 102 terminate at the conductor pair of the RJ-11 plug 118for the first telecommunication line while the second and thirdconductors of the cable 102 terminate at the conductor pair of the RJ-11plug 118 for the second telecommunication line.

Other alternatives are possible as well. For example, the test set 100configured to test two telecommunications lines may include fourisolated conductors with each terminating at a test clip, while alsohaving a modular plug wired in parallel with the test clips so thateither the clips or the plug or a combination of both may be used totest the multiple telecommunications lines.

The test set 100 includes conventional components as well. For example,the test set 100 provides a keypad 120 allowing the technician to dialtelephone numbers to place test calls through the test set. The test set100 also includes function keys 122 that allow various test modes to beutilized as are known in the art. Function keys 122 may also be includedto control which telecommunication is to receive the input through thekeypad 120 at any given time. Also, the function keys 122 may controlwhich telecommunication circuit being tested has its diagnosticinformation displayed on display screen 128 or through any other visualindicator such as a light emitting diode. The test set 100 may alsoinclude the conventional speaker 126 and microphone 124 that allows thetechnician to communicate during test calls.

FIG. 2 shows the major functional components within the test set 100 andthe electrical connections to the multiple telecommunications lines tobe tested. In the example shown, test circuitry of the tester 100includes multiple testers to allow the multiple communications lines tobe simultaneously tested. However, it will be appreciated that thefunction keys 122 of the test set 100 may be used in conjunction with asingle tester and the multiple conductors of the cable 102 to connectthe single tester to one pair of conductors at one time and another pairat another time to test one or the other of the telecommunicationslines.

As shown for the embodiment of FIG. 2, a circuitry 200 includes a firsttester 202 for testing a first telecommunication line and a secondtester 208 for testing a second telecommunication line. The first tester202 and second tester 208 include test circuitry generally known in theart for one or more types of telecommunications services provided over atelecommunication line. For example, the first and second testers may beconfigured to test plain old telephone service (“POTS”) for atelecommunication line and/or digital subscriber line (“DSL”) servicefor the same or different telecommunication line.

The first tester and second testers 202 and 208 are linked to a display216 for a test set, such as a display screen or indicator LEDs. Also,the first and second testers 202 and 208 are linked to an input deviceof a test set, such as a keypad for dialing and function selection. Theinput device 214 may also be linked to the display 216 to provide avisual indication of the inputs that are received from the user of thetest set.

The first and second testers 202 and 208 receive the informationprovided through the input 214 based upon which tester the user hasselected. The tester 202 or 208 then employs the user input to generatethe test services for the telecommunication line, such as testingoutbound calling and inbound call reception. The results of the testsmay be displayed or otherwise indicated on the display 216.

The first tester 202 provides a tip connection 204 and a ring connection206 for testing a two-conductor telecommunication line having a tipconnection 222 and ring connection 224. The first tester 202 thuscompletes a circuit for the second telecommunication line to test theoperability and/or quality of service through the line. The connectionestablished between the tip connection 204 and tip connection 222 andbetween the ring connection 206 and ring connection 224 may be providedthrough one of the various connections described above. For example, theconnection may be established through test clips that are connecteddirectly to the tip 204 and ring 206 through the cable 102 of FIG. 1 andthat are clamped onto the tip conductor 222 and ring conductor 224,respectively. As another example, the tip 204 and ring 206 may beconnected through cable 102 to a modular plug so that the testconnection is established by plugging the modular plug into a jack withpins for the tip connection 222 and ring connection 224.

The second tester 208 provides a tip connection 210 and ring connection212 for testing another two-conductor telecommunication line having atip connection 218 and a ring connection 220. The second tester 208 thuscompletes a circuit for the first telecommunication line to test theoperability and/or quality of service through the line. The connectionestablished between the tip connection 210 and tip connection 218 andbetween the ring connection 212 and ring connection 220 may be providedthrough one of the various connections described above as well. Examplesof these connections also include test clips or a modular plug.

Thus, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 allows the first and secondtelecommunication lines to be tested contemporaneously using a singletest with connections for both lines. Because connections for both linesare provided, both lines may be tested without requiring a single set ofconnectors to be attached to one line and then removed so that the sameset of connectors can be attached to the next line to test.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to illustrative embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various other changes in the form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A device for testing telecommunications circuits, comprising: a testset having circuitry for testing first and second telecommunicationscircuits, the circuitry including a first tester electrically connectedto first and second conductors extending from the test set, and thecircuitry further including a second tester electrically connected tothird and fourth conductors extending from the test set; and a firsttest clip electrically connected to the first conductor of the test set,a second test clip electrically connected to the second conductor of thetest set, a third test clip electrically connected to the thirdconductor of the test set, and a fourth test clip electrically connectedto the fourth conductor of the test set.
 2. The device of claim 1,further comprising: a modular plug including a first, a second, a third,and a fourth conductor, wherein the first conductor of the modular plugis electrically connected to the first conductor of the test set, thesecond conductor of the modular plug is electrically connected to thesecond conductor of the test set, the third conductor of the modularplug is electrically connected to the third conductor of the test set,and the fourth conductor of the modular plug is electrically connectedto the fourth conductor of the test set.
 3. The device of claim 2,wherein the modular plug is an RJ-11 plug.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the first tester and the second tester operate simultaneously.5. A device for testing telecommunications circuits, comprising: a testset having circuitry for testing first and second telecommunicationscircuits, the circuitry including a first tester electrically connectedto first and second conductors extending from the test set, and thecircuitry further including a second tester electrically connected tothird and fourth conductors extending from the test set; and a modularplug including a first, a second, a third, and a fourth conductor,wherein the first conductor of the modular plug is electricallyconnected to the first conductor of the test set, the second conductorof the modular plug is electrically connected to the second conductor ofthe test set, the third conductor of the modular plug is electricallyconnected to the third conductor of the test set, and the fourthconductor of the modular plug is electrically connected to the fourthconductor of the test set.
 6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:a first test clip electrically connected to the first conductor of thetest set, a second test clip electrically connected to the secondconductor of the test set, a third test clip electrically connected tothe third conductor of the test set, and a fourth test clip electricallyconnected to the fourth conductor of the test set.
 7. The device ofclaim 5, wherein the modular plug is an RJ-11 plug.
 8. The device ofclaim 5, wherein the first test and the second tester operatesimultaneously.
 9. A method of testing a two line telecommunicationservice with a test set capable of testing multiple communication lines,comprising: attaching a first clip to a first conductor of the two linetelecommunication service, attaching a second clip to a second conductorof the two line telecommunication service, attaching a third clip to athird conductor of the two line telecommunication service, and attachinga fourth clip to a fourth conductor of the two line telecommunicationservice; operating circuitry of the test set to test a first line of thetwo line telecommunication service through the first clip and secondclip; and operating circuitry of the test set to test a second line ofthe two line telecommunication service through the third clip and fourthclip.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising operating thecircuitry of the test set to test the first line simultaneously withoperating the circuitry of the test set to test the second line.
 11. Amethod of testing a two line telecommunication service with a test setcapable of testing multiple communication lines, comprising: attaching amodular plug to a modular jack providing the two line telecommunicationservice such that a first conductor and second conductor of the modularplug are electrically connected to a first conductor and secondconductor of the modular jack that provide a first line of the two linetelecommunication service and such that a third conductor and a fourthconductor of the modular plug are electrically connected to a thirdconductor and a fourth conductor of the modular jack that provide asecond line of the two line telecommunication service; operatingcircuitry of the test set to test the first line of the two linetelecommunication service through the first conductor and secondconductor of the modular plug; and operating circuitry of the test setto test the second line of the two line telecommunication servicethrough the third conductor and fourth conductor of the modular plug.12. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the circuitryof the test set to test the first line simultaneously with operating thecircuitry of the test set to test the second line.
 13. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the modular plug is an RJ-11 plug.
 14. A method oftesting a two line telecommunication service with a test set capable oftesting multiple communication lines, comprising: attaching a modularplug to a modular jack providing the two line telecommunication servicesuch that a first conductor and second conductor of the modular plug areelectrically connected to a first conductor and second conductor of themodular jack that provide a first line of the two line telecommunicationservice; attaching a first clip to a third conductor and attaching asecond clip to a fourth conductor wherein the third conductor and fourthconductor provide a second line of the two line telecommunicationservice; operating circuitry of the test set to test the first line ofthe two line telecommunication service through the first conductor andsecond conductor of the modular plug; and operating circuitry of thetest set to test the second line of the two line telecommunicationservice through the first clip and second clip.
 15. The method of claim14, further comprising operating the circuitry of the test set to testthe first line simultaneously with operating the circuitry of the testset to test the second line.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein themodular plug is an RJ-11 plug.